Carton



B. A. RAFOTH Mm, w

CARTON Filed Sept. 20, 1946.

, Patented July s, i949 iCE oAn'roN v Bennie A. mman, Appleton, Wn., mignon to Marathon Corporation, Rothschild, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application September 20, 1946, Serial N0.V 698,144

1 Claim. l This invention relates to a package or carton provided with means for retaining a spoon within the package.

Large quantities of ice cream, sherbet, frozen ices and desserts and the like are being sold in paper cartons or packages which are usually provided with a hinged cover that is opened so that the consumer may eat the food directly from the container by means oi a wooden spoon or other implement that may be provided., Such packages are sold on trains, amusement places, parks, reireshment places and in outdoor stands. It has been customary to hand the consumer a spoon with each purchase'or to place a spoon loosely inside the package which the consumer can use ior eating the food products. it is not desirable or sanitary to handle spoons used for food. Furthermore, when spoons are inserted within the package they are often lost or misplaced.

According to the present invention, means are provided as an integral part of the carton so as to form a pocket portion within which a wooden spoon or other implement may be inserted and in which it will be securely retained while being shipped or stored until it is used by the consumer. The pocket portion is furthermore provided with a locking portion to retain it in closed relation to the carton until the package is opened. The pocket portion occupies relatively little space and is constructed in such manner that it can be readily positioned within the package so as not to bulk or bulge the package or deform it in any way. Upon opening the cover of the carton it is possible to readily remove the spoon or other implement by merely slipping it out of the pocket portion for convenient use.

@ther advantages and objects oi' this invention will be apparent from the following speciiication and drawings wherein,

Figure i is a plan view of the inside face of the biank from which my carton is formed,

rr'flitpire 2 is an enlarged iragmental perspective view oi the partially completed carton made of the blank shown in Figure i,

Figure 3 is a perspective view oi the completed carton made from the blank shown in Figure i, and

Wig/ure i is a top plan view of the completed and closed carton.

Referring to the drawings, an illustrative embodiment of my invention is shown in Figures l to i wherein a single integral blank of cardboard or other suitable material is suitably out and scored to provide a iront panel i'i a bottom panel it, a rear panel it, a top elosure or cover panel (Cl. 229-L5l Il and cover extension panel 20 hinged thereto. These panels are hingedly connected to each other along parallel fold lines so that they may be folded 'in' suitable relation to each other when the carton is made as illustrated in Figure 3. The front panel H is provided with hinged side wall panels'lt. The bottom panel l2 is provided with integrally hinged retaining flaps il. Rear panel i3 is provided with integrally hinged wall panels iii. Rear panel i3 is provided with an integrally hinged closure or cover panel ld having an extension panel 2li hinged thereto along score line vit which is interrupted by a curved cut line 2i at its middle portion for a purpose to be explained later. The side panels It are provided with hinged closure flaps f5. Front panel il is provided with a hinged closure panel i0 which has a slit 23ior receiving a locking tongue 22 provided on the top cover panel it.

In i'orming a carton from the blank described, cover extension panel 2li is folded back on itself over along score line 26 on panel ill from the position shown in Figure 2 to assume the position shown in Figure 3 and is adhered along lines of adhesive 30 and 3l to panel Mi, whereby a pocket portion is provided for receiving and retaining a spoon or other implement 25. The spoon 2t can be readily slipped within the pocket portion so formed and is engaged therein merely by frictional engagement of the faces thereof. It will be noted that score line 26 is interrupted as previously stated by a curved cut line 2i in its middle region so as to form a locking tongue 22 when the extension panel im is folded over on the top cover panel. The steps of forming the pocket portion as described are preferably car- `ried out while the blank is still in dat condition,

' although if desired the carton can be formed first in the condition shown in Figure 2 after which `the pocket portion is formed as described.

The body of the carton is formed by folding the front and rear panels ll and i3 at right angies to the bottom panel l2 and the side panels it and it are brought into overlapped relation to .each other with the aps i'l' interposed therebetween, suitable adhesive being applied to the overlapped side panels and flaps to adhere them together so as to iorm the completed carton as shown in Figure 3.

After the contents, such as ice cream, are placed in the carton, flaps l5 are folded over the open end of the container and then the panels il] .and it are folded thereover and interlocked by inserting tongue t2 intoslit 23 so as to assume the closed position shown in Figure 4.

When it is desired to use the contents within the package the panels l and 20 areI unlocked and closure flaps l5 are folded outwardly to assume the position shown in Figure 3. The spoon 25 can then be removed by the consumer for removing the contents from the receptacle.

The construction of the pocket portion and locking feature can obviously be applied to cartons of many different constructions in addition to the speciiic construction herein described which is to be considered as merely an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. Other modiiications and changes are intended to be included Within the scope of the appended claim.

I claim: e

A carton comprising a receptacle portion and hinged closure panels, said receptacle portion comprising front, rear, and end walls for retaining a product to be consumed, a closure panel hinged to the rear wall of said receptacle portion on a hinge line, an extension panel hinged to said closure panel along a score line positioned substantially medially thereof and substantially paraiiel to said hinge line, said score line being interrupted in an intermediate portion thereof by a curvilinear hook-shaped cut score extending into said extension panel to provide a locking tongue portion for said closure panel, said exten- 4 sion panel being adhered to the inner face of said rst closure panel along a longitudinal edge and one intersecting edge to provide a pocket portion for receiving and retaining an implement for dispensing food packaged Within said tray portion, and a second closure panel hingedly connectedto said front panel, said second closure panel being provided with a slit for receiving said locking tongue portion in locking engagement.

BENNIE A. RAFOTH.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenices are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Norway Dec. 16, 19,29 

